A big week in the offing in trade policy in Europe. By Rob Francis and Chris Horseman.
WTO Fish
THINK TANK: Solar, China and embedded carbon; Korea-ASEAN, trade facilitation and fish
One of the most interesting publications of trade policy think tanks and research institutions this week is by the Hinrich Foundation and delves into the global solar panel supply chain. The OECD has updated its trade facilitation database and the International Institute for Sustainable Development has released a detailed explainer …
New chair, same challenges: WTO fisheries negotiations resume at last
The race to complete last year’s partial agreement on disciplining government subsidies to the fisheries sector is under way at last, as members pursue the goal of completing the negotiations by the time of the next ministerial conference – MC13 – in February 2024.
Dealing with unfinished business: the WTO’s fisheries subsidies agreement
The highest-profile political achievement at last month WTO’s ministerial conference in Geneva – a multilateral agreement on curbing fisheries subsidies – is also about to become one of the organisation’s most urgent dossiers for renewed attention.
The WTO’s new ‘Geneva Package’: What’s been agreed?
WTO trade ministers have brought the institution’s 12th ministerial to a successful conclusion with a compromise deal on a package of measures on a TRIPS waiver, agriculture, fisheries and WTO reform. The deal, which has been christened the ‘Geneva Package’ by diplomats, also includes a 2-year extension of the existing …
‘Cautious optimism’ as WTO delegations make final preparations for MC12
WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has said she is “increasingly cautiously optimistic” that an overall compromise deal can be reached on the various issues at stake at next week’s WTO ministerial conference, according to a WTO official. This assessment followed a ‘stocktaking’ meeting of the WTO’s ruling General Council on Tuesday …
WTO Corner: Fish subsidy talks, EU vs China “anti-suit” injunctions
Fisheries subsidies negotiators sat down again properly for talks after the postponement of the late 2021 ministerial meeting. The EU is bringing a new big-ticket case against China in the WTO regarding what it basically sees as Chinese court extra-territorial over-reach on patent protections. By Chris Horseman and Iana Dreyer.
MC12 – Fish subsidies agreement: what is left for ministers to decide
The final draft of a new WTO agreement on fisheries subsidies was submitted to trade ministers late on Wednesday (24 November), as officials in Geneva made their final push towards what would be the organisation’s first major multilateral agreement in more than 20 years.
WTO fisheries subsidies agreement: stars aligning, but success not guaranteed
The World Trade Organization’s twelfth ministerial meeting at the end of November represents the institution’s big chance to secure a deal to limit subsidies to the fisheries sector, after 20 years of trying. But success is still by no means guaranteed.
WTO ministerial delivers political impetus on fish subsidies – but divisions persist
Trade ministers from more than 100 WTO member countries have recommitted to negotiating a multilateral deal to curb fisheries subsidies this year. But at a virtual ministerial meeting dedicated to the topic on Thursday (15 June), it became clear that divisions over the issue remain substantial – and it remains …
